


Tearing Down the Stars

by Amethyst Shard (AmethystShard)



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-20
Updated: 2010-05-20
Packaged: 2017-10-09 15:12:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/88745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmethystShard/pseuds/Amethyst%20Shard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The stars have left Gotham City and the Joker's going to bring them back, even if he has to tear them down one by one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tearing Down the Stars

You can't see the stars above Gotham anymore. A dark cloud of smog hangs over the once gleaming city. Now Gotham is dull, decaying. Not just the city's streets and buildings, but its people too. The city is a rotten apple, infested with maggots. He watches them slither and crawl along the streets below. They look up, not at him, not at the invisible stars, but at that shining beacon, that ray of hope, shaped like a bat. But they are insignificant, merely pawns in a game. They couldn't see the stars. The Joker could. And tonight he'd make the sky light up again.

A sudden breeze whooshed past his ear, followed by the rustle of wings. Bat-wings, more precisely. Joker smiled. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."

"You said you would hand over the detonator if I came alone. Here I am."

The Joker spun around, almost a twirl, his coat spinning out like a young girl's summer dress. The notion nearly made him giggle, but he held it in. He was going for a dramatic effect after all. "Alone." He took a slow step closer to the man in black. "At last."

"The detonator."

Such a one track mind. Joker sighed. "Detonator?" Joker replied absentmindedly, frowning. He patted down his pockets. "Oh, you mean this?" He held the small device up for the Bat to see.

Batman, so predictable, lunged forward, but Joker deftly side-stepped him. "Nuh-uh." Joker wagged his finger. "Not just yet. There's something I want to show you first."

"What do you want," Bats growled in that painfully gravel voice of his. Joker wondered if he should offer him a throat lozenge. "As I said," Joker rolled his eyes, "I want to show you something." Batman looked like a volcano ready to erupt. "Aw, Batsy, you really should learn to have a little fun. Here I go to all the trouble to arrange this play date and all you can think about is work."

"This isn't a game, Joker. You can't play with people's lives."

"Oh, but it is, I can, and I'm having so much fun." Joker waved the detonator to remind Batman, just in case he got any ideas. Oh, look at that face! He better be careful or it might stick that way. Joker chuckled, and grabbing the ear of one of the million gargoyles that sat perched upon Gotham's buildings, jumped up onto the parapet. Joker pet the gargoyle's head. "Good boy." Some rich old Gothamite must have had a twisted imagination and an unhealthy obsession with gothic architecture. Joker let go of the gargoyle and walked along the ledge as if he were merely a kid balancing on a sidewalk curb. He stopped and gestured for Batman to join him. Batman stepped closer, but hesitated. He looked almost worried. Joker exclaimed, "Don't tell me you're afraid of heights?" A bat afraid of heights. Joker laughed, almost doubling over. A strong wind picked up and whipped his coattails back. Joker felt his body become almost weightless as his feet nearly lifted off the narrow stone surface. The Joker was crazy, but he wasn't _that_ crazy. Perhaps he should sit down.

He felt a strong hand grip his arm tight, helping him down into a seated position. Joker looked at the black gloved hand with a smirk. Batman just couldn't let him go, anymore than the Joker could. "Ever the hero."

Batman leaned back against the parapet. "Couldn't let you fall. The detonator might have gone off."

"The detonator… that reminds me." Joker stared up at the hazy sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star, so I'll know where you are. Joker pressed the detonator.

"No!" Batman grabbed his arm, wrestled him down onto the roof, but it was too late. The sky lit up and for a moment the Joker brought the stars back.

A shower of purple, green, and red sparks rained down. Batman rolled off Joker. He stared up bewildered. His eyes were filled with confusion and maybe a little of wonder.

"Fireworks."

"Tada." Joker smiled, turning his gaze back up to the glittering sky. They belonged there among the stars, not on earth, not as mortals. They were forces of nature. Chaos. Order. They were legend. But for now Joker would settle for bringing the stars down to them.

Joker propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at Batman whose eyes hadn't strayed from the glittering spectacle. "Now for my next trick." Joker leaned down and pressed his scarred lips against Batman's, swallowing up his small gasp. Batman's lips were so much softer than he'd imagined. The Bat was always so cold and hard, but here he was warm and soft. Something sparked in the back of Joker's mind, a sudden revelation; he'd just found Batman's Achilles' heel.

Joker pulled back. Batman had never looked so lost, so human. Joker couldn't be certain if Batman wanted to kiss him back or run away. He probably didn't know himself. Joker was surprised to find that he really wanted to find out and disappointed that he wouldn't, not tonight, as the special drug Joker had added to his makeup took effect and Batman's eyes fluttered, struggling to stay open.

The Joker huffed and frowned, lines creasing between his blackened brows, the white make-up itching and flaking against his skin. Their date was coming to an end. Time to say goodnight.

"Second to the right, Bats, and straight on till morning."

Joker bent down for one last kiss. He felt Batman's body become slack and when he sat up, Batman was sound asleep.

Joker caressed Batman's cheek with his gloved hand. He fingered the edges of the mask. "Maybe just a peek." Joker bit his lip. "No," he shook his head. "Gotta play fair." Joker jumped up and scampered to the door, before he could change his mind. It did that, often, couldn't trust the thing. Changed as easily as the wind. Sometimes though, when the wind is southerly… Hmm. Joker stared down at the prone form, laid spread out like some kind of demonic messiah. Red lips pulled old scars taut in a twisted smile. "Oh, I just can't resist."

His stomach did a gleeful flip as he knelt down next to Batman, leaning in close to his face.

 

It was nearly daybreak before Bruce woke. He lay still for a moment staring up into the dark predawn sky. It felt somehow empty now. Memories of falling stars streaming across the sky filled in the emptiness. The Joker had kissed him. It had only been a trick, to drug Batman, so that he could get away. Bruce was uncertain why he wasn't relieved by that. Also worrying was that his drug induced sleep had been the most restful he'd had in weeks (his back though was in disagreement as he rose up off the hard rooftop).

It wasn't until after he'd returned home and undressed that he caught sight of his reflection and the red smile painted over his lips.


End file.
